


Te Amo

by Emulator42



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-05
Updated: 2014-06-06
Packaged: 2018-01-22 00:48:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1569839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emulator42/pseuds/Emulator42
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So I was totally gonna write some more Joelay high school AU when I had the bestest thought ever.</p>
<p>guys.</p>
<p>Joelay high school TEACHER AU.</p>
<p>So without further ado, here’s some dorky grown men with dumbshit crushes on each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Joel sat in the teacher’s lounge, munching on his sub and flipping through this quarter’s teaching plan. To his left Lindsay, the biology teacher, was in an extensive argument with Gavin, the chem teacher, over whether he could get away with lighting something on fire in class this year. The gym coach Michael sat across from them, periodically flicking fries at Gavin. As Joel went over the lesson plans for the millionth time, the comm. arts teacher, Barbara, walked in and plunked herself down to his right.

"Christ Joel, relax a little." She grinned at Joel and he realized he had been almost glaring at the papers in his hands. "What’s so specific about a lesson plan for a drama class anyways? I’ve seen your classes, you don’t do shit." Joel rolled his eyes at the teasing.

"Did you have something important to say?"

"Ouch, harsh. Anyways, yeah. We got a new Spanish teacher this year. I was wondering if you could show him around." Joel’s eyes narrowed.

"Why?"

"Jesus, Joel! do I always have to have an ulterior motive?" Barbara said defensively, her shit-eating grin betraying her. Joel opened his mouth to say that yes, in fact, she did, when the lounge door opened and in walked an incredibly cute guy with glasses who looked about mid twenties. Joel forgot to close his mouth as he watched him walk over to Barb, setting down his bag and letting out a sigh.

"This school is a fucking maze. You have no idea how long it took me to find this place." He ran a hand through his hair and Joel swallowed, eyes tracking the movement. Fuck was this guy cute.

"Oh, introductions! Ray, this is Joel. Joel teaches drama and financial ed. Joel, this is the new Spanish teacher, Ray." Joel offered a hand to Ray, searching his mind for something funny or witty to say.

"Hola." Fuck. congratulations Joel, that is literally the dumbest thing you could have said. Ray cracked a smile anyways, and Joel swore his heart stopped. Barbara stared at them gleefully.

Suddenly, one of Michael’s fries knocked over Gavin’s soda and the brit let out a loud squawk, jumping back to avoid the mess. Lindsay cracked up and Barbara excused herself to go help Gavin clean it up.

Ray moved his bag onto the table, sliding into Barbara’s vacated spot. Joel tensed up as he felt the younger man move closer.

"Whatcha reading?" Ray asked, peering at Joel’s paperwork. Joel blushed and rubbed the back of his neck as he explained the lesson plan he had for the first day of school tomorrow.

"We do a couple plays every year, so I’m introducing the parts to the class. The kids don’t have to be in drama to join, but the drama kids are usually the ones that do."

"What play is it?" Ray asked, seeming genuinely interested.

"It’s a musical really. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolored Dreamcoat. It’s a biblical story but the play is really funny and exciting. The set’s going to be kick-ass. That is, if I can get enough teacher volunteers to help make it." Ray’s eyes lit up.

"Dude, I can totally help! I worked backstage on shows all through school. I’ve got some mad skills." Joel blushed again, grinning back at Ray’s enthusiasm.

"Awesome! That would be really great."

After lunch Joel showed Ray around the school. It really was a maze, all the extensions over the years had been mostly unplanned, hallways sprawling out in all directions and staircases that led to nowhere. Joel and Ray kept a steady conversation the whole time. Joel learned that Ray had moved to Austin from New York, but that his family was from Puerto Rico, which was how Ray was fluent in Spanish.

"I still had to take classes for it in college though." Ray explained as Joel led him towards the drama wing to show off his board full of pictures from all the past productions. "Spanish varies by country, even by region. Here they teach the dialect used in Spain, which uses a whole shit-ton of new words I didn’t know."

"Huh. You’d think they’d teach Mexican Spanish in Texas." Joel hoped to god that sentence wasn’t as stupid as it sounded to him. He quickly tried changing the subject. "So why’d you move here anyways? Austin must be pretty dull compared to New York." Ray blushed and looked down at the floor.

"I, uh. Well I moved here to be closer to my boyfriend. He dumped me last week though, so I guess that backfired." Joel mentally fist pumped, then mentally slapped himself for mentally being a dick.

"That sucks, man." He said sympathetically, using his acting skills to keep a giant grin off his face. Ray kept his eyes glued to the floor though. Joel searched his mind for something more supportive to say.

"My last boyfriend dumped me when I moved in with him too." He blurted out, and Ray looked up in surprise. "I guess sometimes being close to someone can show you that you don’t like them as much as you thought. You know, absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that shit." Ray gave him a genuine, heartfelt smile, and Joel felt like he could float off the ground.

——-

The next day Joel shuffled into the teacher’s lounge like a zombie, making a beeline for the life giving coffee machine. He had stayed up way to late last night checking and re-checking his lesson plans, any break in his thoughts occupied by Ray. He nodded to Geoff and Griffon, the F.A.C.S. and shop teachers respectively, without whom the coffee machine would have broken down long ago. As he poured himself a cup, Ray walked into the lounge, also looking zombified. he plunked himself down in one of the overstuffed armchairs, pulling out his computer. Joel headed over to him, perching himself on the arm of the chair.

"What’re you working on?" He asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Emailing Matt." Ray grumbled, typing furiously. "Someone fucked up and I only have half the books I need for my class. CARAJO.” He yelled, whacking his computer as it froze up, his half written email blinking to a blue screen of death. Joel couldn’t care less, however. He was more concerned with what hearing Ray’s Spanish swearing had just done to his dick. A mostly unwanted thought popped into his head of him being the one to make Ray scream out those words. Luckily for Joel the first bell rang and he and the other teachers gathered up their stuff, heading to class.

Ray packed up his computer, huffing out curse words under his breath and throwing his bag over his shoulder. Joel gave him a sympathetic glance and a “good luck” as they passed each other on their way to their classes.

Joel was distracted for the rest of the day, thoughts drifting to Ray and how he was managing. Joel wondered if this was his first time teaching. He wondered how Ray was doing after his breakup, but mostly he fantasized about Ray and his dumb spanish and how hot it was. _Goddammit._ Joel thought. _I’ve got it bad._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey look, I finally updated! I know it's short, the next chapter will have more stuff in it. And some actual plot development too.

Joel sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face, slumping back in his chair out of exhaustion. He shook his head to wake himself up, took a gulp of coffee, and tried to refocus on the quiz he was grading. His mind wandered as he looked around the room, putting off his grading for now. Joel usually graded papers in his office in the drama department, but the Financial Ed. class he taught was all the way over in the language wing. For some unknown reason Joel had decided to stay in that room to grade today's quiz. 

Okay, that was a lie. Joel knew he was only here because he shared a room with the Spanish teacher, meaning Ray. Deep down he was hoping Ray would walk in to pick up some papers or his computer he left at school and they would start a long, meaningful conversation that Ray would later realize when he got home that night was an obvious indicated that they where soulmates. Joel blushed as he caught himself daydreaming again, and tried to turn back to the quizzes. The words blurred as he tried to read. Joel felt his eyes slowly closing and decided a short nap couldn't hurt. 

Joel was jostled awake to a still dark room, papers spread haphazardly across the desk, and one sticking to his face as he lifted his head to look around. He quickly pulled it off and ran a self-conscious hand through his hair as he recognized Ray's amused face grinning at him. Ray was perched on the edge of the desk, bag slung over his shoulder and one hand still on Joel's back. 

"Sorry I had to wake you." He laughed. "But I thought you might like to know its about six a.m." Joel blinked in confusion. Had he slept through the night? Of course, that would explain the ache he was starting to feel in his back.

"Sorry." He grinned sheepishly. "I guess I was more tired than I thought."

"That's alright." Ray smiled back. "I came in early so I could get Adam to take a look at my computer. I'm guessing you haven't eaten breakfast yet either?" Joel shook his head and Ray beamed. "Awesome! Did you know the teacher's lounge has a waffle maker?"

Joel sat happily munching on a slightly burnt waffle as he listened to Ray describe his opinion of Texas so far. After locating Adam they had headed down to the lounge for breakfast and Joel had taught Ray how to make waffles.  He wasn't the quickest learner, and the first few waffles where dry and blackened, but with Joel's guidance Ray was making decent waffles in about half an hour. Joel listened raptly as Ray told his life story: how he met Michael over the internet, how he told him about the job opening here, and his harrowing interview with Matt and  Burnie . 

"I swear they looked like they where going to eat me!" He laughed. "How do you work for such terrifying people?"

"I guess I'm just used to it." Joel smiled. "They're actually really nice once you get to know them, and I've known them for a while." Ray shrugged, turning back to dunking his waffles in syrup. Joel knew Barbara would kill them for using her syrup, but he didn't care. 

"So what about you?" Ray butted into Joel's thoughts. 

"What do you mean?"

"What's your story?" Ray leaned in to listen to Joel, and he felt himself blush. He shrugged. 

"Well originally I wanted to be an actor." Ray snorted and Joel gave him a playful glare. "What, you don't think I'm handsome enough?" He grinned.

"No, you're definetly handsome enough, it's just..."

"What?" Joel asked, leaning forward in interest. 

"I don't know, that would just be weird. You're not Joel Heyman the famous actor, you're Mr. Heyman the mediocre teacher."

"Hey!" Joel laughed, giving Ray a playful shove. They giggled into their waffles as Barbara walked in. 

"What are you two laughing at?" She grinned, giving Joel a wink

"Nothing." Joel smiled, turning back to Ray to shoot him a grin. 

"Hey!" Barbara yelped. "Is that my syrup?!" Joel laughed as he and Ray leapt out of their seats and ran out of the lounge, followed by Barbara's scoldings. They stopped to catch their breath around a corner and lapsed back into giggles.

The next day Joel had to focus on the school play auditions. He invited Ray to join him and the younger man happily agreed. They both sat in the front row of the theater, Joel making marks on his clipboard as students recited their monologues and songs, and Ray trying to keep a straight face when the kids who thought they could sing belted out off-key. Sometimes Joel would have to give him a nudge to calm him down. Luckily none of the students seemed to notice. About halfway through Joel could tell Ray was getting bored. He started slumping in his seat, tapping his foot, and picking at his nails. Joel turned back to the stage to listen to another student audition. The girl kept blushing and clearing her throat as Joel encouraged her along.

"Thanks Katie, you did great." He smiled at her and she blushed and mumbled something before walking off stage. As soon as she left Ray perked up.

"Looks like someone's hot for teacher!" Joel rolled his eyes.

"Who, Katie? Nah, she's just shy." Ray grinned at him, shaking his head.

"Trust me, I  know  when students have a thing for their teachers."

"Oh really?" Joel smiled. "Any kids ever have a crush on you?" Ray waved his hand in a dismissive gesture.

"Oh, tons. I lost count." Joel laughed, speaking again before his brain caught up.

"And what about the faculty?"  Joel. No . His brain told him.

"Ok, so I'm not that great at reading adults. That's mostly why I became a teacher." Ray blushed, and Joel sensed the shift in subject. He'd let the question slide.

Later that week Joel had finally finished with the casting. Deciding to show his list to Ray before posting it, he headed down to the language wing. Joel quietly peeked his head through the door. Ray was standing at the front of the room giving an animated lecture about S panish pronunciation. Surprisingly, the kids didn't seem to be almost bored to tears as Joel would be by now, and as he leaned idly against the door frame and waited for Ray to finish  he found himself being sucked in as well.

Ray finished his speech, noticing Joel standing by the door. He told his class to partner up as he jogged over to meet him.

" _¿_ _ Qu é tal _ _?_ " He smiled and Joel momentarily forgot what he was going to say. Ray blushed. "Sorry, still in Spanish mode. What's up?" Joel swallowed and tried de s perately  to remember his reason for being there.

"I uh, thought you might like to see the cast list. "

"Oh, sweet!" Ray took the paper from him and quickly scanned through it. He turned around as some of his students began arguing loudly. " _ ¡Deja el  relajo _ _!_ "  Joel felt himself flush as Ray handed him back the paper with an apologetic smile. "I'm going to be honest, I don't remember half these kids. I bet they're great though." Joel nodded.  Words, Joel.  His brain reminded him, and he forced some purer thoughts into his mind.

"Thanks." He said. "The set building will start Monday. Will I see you there?"

"It's a date!" Ray winked, then got distracted again by a student who had tipped their chair over backwards. He sighed and Joel heard a muttered " _So_ _ anormal _ ." as he left, heart beating just a little but faster.


	3. Chapter 3

The sound of hammers and drills filled the air as Joel hopped from student to student, directing them in how to build the moving platforms they needed for the play. He glanced over at Ray, grinning as he saw him trying to force a new drillbit to click into his drill. Joel walked over, taking the drill from Ray and replacing the bit easily.

"Here." He guided Ray’s hands around the drill, lifting up his arms to the beam he had been securing. "You won’t wear out the bits so fast if you stop when you hear that grinding sound. Go ahead." Ray seemed flustered as he tried to drill in the screw, wincing as it let out a grinding screach. Joel took Ray’s other hand and placed it on the back of the drill, now enveloping Ray in an awkward hug. Ray was blushing deeply. Joel realized he was probably embarrassed with needing help. He let go, hands swinging awkwardly at his sides. "Just, uh…press on the back if the drill, yeah like that. Then it won’t grind so much. Ray nodded silently as he continued to drill the beams together, his face still bright red.

Joel continued to help the other students, glancing at Ray a little too often, especially when he was doing something that required him to bend over. Joel mentally scolded himself as he realized he’d been staring at Ray’s ass for the millionth time. He turned back to the girl he was helping, clearing his throat and flushing red.

By the end of the day Joel was thouroughly frustrated. It seemed like Ray was being unnecessarily coy, sticking his ass in the air when he could be crouching, letting his shirt ride up when he reached up high. Joel wasn’t the only one that noticed either. A group of girls where giggling obnoxiously in the corner, shooting longing glances in Ray’s direction. Joel caught one of their eyes and shot her a glare he didn’t even know he could make. She quickly nudged her friends back to work, a hint if terror in her eyes. Joel grinned to himself smugly.  _My Ray._

Woah, hold the phone. Where did  _that_  thought come from? Joel’s smug grin turned to a blush as he scolded himself mentally.  _Ray is recovering from a bad breakup_ , he thought.  _He doesn’t need some forty-something borderline alcoholic butting into his life_. Joel shook his head, not realizing Ray had headed over until it was too late.

"Hey, so isn’t this supposed to end at six?" Joel stared at him like he was speaking Spanish again, trying to get his train of thought back on track. When Ray’s words finally reached his brain, Joel glanced down at his watch, letting out a yelp of surprise as he realized it was close to seven.

"Jesus! Hey everybody, wrap it up." He turned to the students and directed them to put away the equipment. He felt Ray’s amused gaze on him as he helped clean up, turning and catching his eye.

"Were you just having too much fun?" He grinned and Joel rolled his eyes.

"No, just distracted. It didn’t help I had to watch you like a hawk and make sure you didn’t hurt yourself." This time Ray rolled his eyes.

"Right,  _that’s_  why you where watching me.” Joel sputtered indignantly at the comment.

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." Ray sighed, walking past Joel and grabbing his bag from the side of the stage.

"Wait!" Joel stammered out, blushing furiously. "Would you like to, um, I mean, I need help grading some quizzes?" Ray stared at him for a moment, then broke into a grin. Joel continued, encouraged by Ray’s reaction. "You could come over, have a beer or two, maybe we could play some games when we finish. I mean, if you like video games."

"I love them." Ray smiled at him.

Ray talked animatedly the entire trip to Joel’s apartment. They got caught up in a discussion about their favorite games, Ray divulging the fact that his life goal was to perfect every game he played.

"I just finished Prey the other night. Next up I’m working on Lollipop Chainsaw." Joel smiled at Ray’s enthusiasm, taking an eye off the road to glance over at him. He had his feet up on the dash, arms waving in the air as he talked. He caught Joel’s gaze and blushed. "Sorry, I’m a huge dork, I know." Joel shook his head and laughed.

"Actually almost all the teachers here play video games. Adam likes to introduce me to weird ones on a weekly basis. Don’t even think about talking to Geoff about them. Before teaching he wanted to run a company based off of playing video games."

"Seriously? That would be the best job ever."

"I can’t imagine how it would work." Joel said. Ray shrugged, launching back into a list of all the new games coming out.

By the time they reached Joel’s place he had created a long list of facts about Ray in his mind. He loves Tetris and Pokémon, despite his talent in RPGs and FPSs. His favorite Pokémon is Snorlax. He worked at GameStop through college. He hates cake and alcohol. Joel had filed them all carefully away in his mental image of Ray, soaking up each scrap of information eagerly. He led Ray inside, immediately booting up the Xbox. Ray looked at him questioningly.

"I thought you had quizzes to grade?"

"Quizzes can wait." Joel shrugged, putting in a game.

"Far Cry 3?" Ray questioned.

"Well," Joel explained. "From the sound of it there’s not much you aren’t amazing at, so I figured I’d put in one of the games  _I’ve_  perfected just so I can show you up.” Ray nodded with a grin.

"Sounds legit. So what kind of amazing knowledge will you impart on me about Far Cry 3?" Joel blanked for a moment, trying to think of something cool to show him.

"Have you ever gotten a shark skin?"

"I can’t say I have."

"Well the first thing you have to do is get a boat."

By the end of Joel’s (very informational) boat rampage they where both in stitches, Ray almost wheezing from laughing so hard. He buried his face in Joel’s shoulder, still giggling as Joel sat back, watching his character die slowly as the boat that had hit him sped off. He smiled at Ray’s laughter, proud that he had proven so entertaining. Ray’s laughter died down, but he stayed firmly snuggled into Joel’s shoulder, moving just enough to smile up at him.

"This was really fun." He said, still gazing at Joel. Joel blushed and cleared his throat, but kept eye contact with Ray.

"Anytime you want to hang out, just, y’know…" Joel trailed off as Ray leaned in, capturing his lips in a kiss. Joel let his arms wrap around Ray’s waist as Ray cupped his face in his hands. They stayed like that for a while, the kiss dragging on as neither one of them wanted to end it. Finally Ray pulled back, then blushed.

"I-I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I have to go." He got up quickly, grabbing his stuff and rushing to the door.

"Wait!" Joel called after him as Ray closed the door with a resounding thud. Joel sighed, slumping back against the couch. "Fucking great." he muttered to himself. as he heard the door to the apartment building open and the sound of feet running down the street.


	4. Chapter 4

Joel picked at his sandwich moodily as the other staff chatted around him. Michael and Gavin where in an intensely weird staring contest which started when Gavin sat himself down  _next_  to Michael instead of across from him as usual.

"Why the long face?" Lindsay asked as she sat down next to Joel.

"What do you mean?" Lindsay rolled her eyes.

"Oh, come  _on._  You’ve been moping all day.” She said, giving Joel a jab in the ribs. “What gives?”

"I’d really rather not talk about it." He grumbled, trying to scoot further away. Lindsay pursued him, lowering her voice.

"Is it about Ray?" She whispered, and Joel almost choked on his sandwich.

"How did you-" He spluttered.

"Like it’s that hard to figure out! Ray stops coming to the teachers’ lounge and you stop with all the dorky smiles."

"Dorky smiles?"

"It was disgusting how cute it was." Lindsay nodded solemnly. Joel turned red and looked away.

"It doesn’t matter how cute it was." He grumbled. "I fucked up and now he never wants to see me again."

"Is that what he said?" Lindsay asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically."

"Well, no. But-"

"Then how do you know? Maybe you just did the wrong thing and freaked him out. Did you ask him out?"

"Not really…"

"Then that’s what you should do!" Lindsay clapped her hands together in excitement. "There you go. Problem solved!"

"But what if-"

"What if he says no? Then at least you know for sure how he feels." Lindsay said as she glanced over at Michael who was still in staring intensely at Gavin. Joel followed her gaze.

"Wait. Did you and Michael go out?" He whispered and Lindsay blushed.

"You do realize he’s holding Gavin’s hand under the table, right?" She rolled her eyes at him and got up to leave. Joel sat there still trying to process most of what she had just said.

Joel spent the rest of the day trying to locate Ray. He waited outside the language wing his entire break with no luck. Next he monitored the cafeteria. After that he actually waited in Ray’s room for half an hour after his financial ed. class, At the end of the day he sat slumped at his desk, dreading having to explain to his students why Ray wasn’t there to help with the set building. That was when the door to the drama room opened and Ray stepped in.

"Hey." He said timidly, And Joel shot up from his desk, banging his knee hard but not caring at all. He grabbed Ray by the shoulders, staring into his eyes with determination as he wracked his brain for the speech he had prepared. "Willyougooutwithme?" Ray sputtered out and Joel’s train of thought came to a screeching halt.

"I- What?" He blinked

"I’ve been an ass." Ray sighed. "I was scared of getting into a relationship so soon after my breakup, but you’re fantastic Joel. I want to go out with you and I’m sorry." He rushed to say. Joel just stared.  _Answer him asshole!_

"Yes!" He said, smiling at Ray’s look of relief. "Of course! Yes!" He let his arms drop from Ray’s shoulders and down to his waist, brain finally catching up to what had happened. "Just one condition." He grinned. "I get to kiss you right now."

Ray smiled, wrapping his arms over Joel’s shoulders and pulling him in for a kiss.


End file.
